Read The Jungle Fugitives: A Tale of Life and Adventure in India Page 12

  CHAPTER XII.

  A WHITE MAN'S VICTORY.

  It was clear that the reception was a stunning surprise to the Asiaticsin the other boat. In times of confusion and terror strong men oftensit dazed and meekly submit to massacre when sturdy resistance wouldleave a far different tale to tell. Such was the case at Meerut, atDelhi, at Cawnpore, at Lucknow and scores of places where the humanfiends revelled in massacre and crime.

  But here, where evidently the same submissiveness was expected, themiscreants were fired upon before they had discharged a single shotthemselves. Not only that, but the Caucasians kept the thing up. Thiswas contrary to all rule and precedent.

  If, however, the white men did not wait to be slain, neither did thedusky barbarians sit still and allow themselves to be shot down. Theyceased paddling and appealed to their guns, whose bullets beganwhistling about the heads of the defenders in the other boat.

  Who of our friends did it will never be known, but one of themperforated the gaunt scoundrel who, with his form bent over, waspushing the pole while he stalked the length of the boat, returningagain to the prow to repeat the performance. The fellow emitted ascreech like a wounded tiger and leaped several feet in air, comingdown on the gunwale, over which he toppled into the water and was seenno more. It was the spirited defiance of the white men that told.Screening themselves as best they could they continued firing, JackEverson occasionally adding a shot from his revolver by way of variety.The conformation of the other boat and its crowded condition preventedthe natives from sheltering themselves as did those who were using themas targets. In short, the wretches were getting the worst of thebusiness, and it did not take them long to learn the fact. Leftwithout control, their boat began drifting with the current, whichbeing stronger than along shore gradually carried it down stream andout of sight. So long, however, as it was visible its occupantscontinued firing, while the white people did still better, for theysent several shots after their enemies when they could see nothing andfired wholly by guess.

  There could be no question that the promptness of Dr. Marlowe and thevigor of the resistance threw their foes into a sort of panic fromwhich they did not recover until beyond range. They had been taught alesson that they were sure to remember for a long time; though, whenour friends came to think the matter over, after finding no one of themhad been hurt, they could not escape the belief that the consequenceswere certain to be of the most serious nature to themselves, and inthis conclusion, sad to say, they were not mistaken.